Antiwar.com

The planned reduction of U.S. troops in South Korea is an opportunity for Washington-Seoul ties to mature or decline, depending on whether ties can go beyond the narrow security issues that have driven the relationship for decades. This transition, experts say, is the main challenge for the five-decades-long alliance between the United States and South … Continue reading “With Troop Cuts, US-South Korea Relations Uncertain”

NEW DELHI – The top leadership of the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) could stand trial for the December 1992 demolition of the medieval Babri Masjid mosque, which propelled the right-wing, pro-Hindu party to national power but deeply polarized the country’s two main religious communities – the Hindus and Muslims. A bench of the Allahabad … Continue reading “Top Hindu Hawks May Face Trial for Demolition of Mosque”

CANBERRA – While Australian Prime Minister John Howard has proclaimed the reelection of U.S. President George W. Bush as "a victory for the anti-terrorism cause," foreign policy analysts believe he will have to distance himself from the image as a U.S. "deputy sheriff" if he wants to improve relations with regional countries. Scott Burchill, a … Continue reading “Bush Win Poses Regional Dilemma for Australians”

BEIJING – The 2004 vote for the U.S. president would have gone down in history as one of the most painless polls for China since Washington recognized its communist government in 1979, had it not been for a political gaffe committed by Beijing on the eve of the elections. Although Beijing tried to distance itself … Continue reading “China: Damage Control After Criticizing Bush”

Plenty of people who opposed the war in Iraq and question the advisability of an imperial role for the United States are in something resembling despair following Tuesday’s election results – probably more so than would have been the case had not those pesky early exit polls offered a few hours of belief that John … Continue reading “Opportunities Ahead”

MADRID – The Basque separatist group ETA, which has received severe blows in recent years, appears to be on the verge of abandoning the use of violence and instead seeking Basque independence and unification through peaceful means. Late last month, ETA announced that it was open to negotiations with the new Spanish government, led by … Continue reading “Basque Separatists Consider Nonviolence”

The presidential campaign had hardly ended before the sounds of shocked outrage and the gnashing of teeth was heard across the globe: "How can 59,054,087 people be so dumb?" wailed the Daily Mirror. “This is not going to make the relationship on the two sides of the Atlantic any easier,” averred Guillaume Parmentier, director of … Continue reading “Buck Up, You Lefties!”

What was the presidential election about? In their victory speeches, Vice President Cheney and President Bush claimed a "mandate," "historic victory," and that "America has spoken." A mandate for what? A victory for what? How spake America? Pundits have declared that the election was about "moral values." Americans in the red states voted against homosexual … Continue reading “Minimize the Mandate”

PENANG, Malaysia – In a strange twist of events, Malaysian opposition politicians claim that U.S. President George W. Bush’s reelection was made possible because of a blunder by Malaysia’s former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad. Last month, Mahathir told a local daily that U.S. voters appeared "willing to accept a person who told blatant lies and … Continue reading “Malaysia’s Mahathir Blamed for Bush Comeback”

BANGKOK – While many Asians were dismayed when they woke up to the news on Thursday morning that George W. Bush had been reelected to a second term as president of the United States, their leaders hailed his return and pledged to cooperate closely with Washington. Award-winning Indian author Arundhati Roy could not hide her … Continue reading “Asians Dismayed, Leaders Relieved by Bush Win”